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Newbie Zone spotmeter question

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Murray@uptowngallery

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Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
1,041
Location
Holland, MI
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Pinhole
I am trying to take a night shot of an illuminated church bell tower when the parking lot and other building lights are off.

I have an old Pentax analog spotmeter 1/21 with the CdS sensor. I pointed it at my car headlights for a minute roughly to 'wake it up', then was barely able to see in the dark to get a reading on the brightest part of the tower, at EV4.

It's an orange-ish, candlelike color, not real bright, but I can see the outline of the bells and the building texture is illuminated is a few areas with a little scattered street light. I don't care too much about the building texture, but can bracket. (Rollfilm in a 6x9 folder).

What I am thinking is place EV4 as Zone 7 maybe, and thus set an exposure of EV2. (I am notorious for 'butchering' the order of steps like this).

IF this is correct, and not the wrong direction exposurewise, and I want to use f/11 for the old Tessar lens and come up with a TV of -5, I'm looking at 32 seconds plus reciprocity failure correction.

The film I'm trying says 0 stop reciprocity correction for up to 1 second, + 1 stop for 10 seconds, +2 for 100 seconds.

I don't want to change stops. I want to expose longer. 32 seconds comes out to about +1.5 stops...I believe 91 seconds.

Am I on the right track?

I'll probably shoot a few different time exposures to see whart happens.

Murray
 
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Murray@uptowngallery

Murray@uptowngallery

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
1,041
Location
Holland, MI
Format
Pinhole
My first attempt at 'Zoning' a roll was a disaster - intuitively I did the opposite of what was necessary - I increased exposure 2 stops while trying to meter shadow and everything was overdone.

I think I'll drive by during the day, compose and leave a piece of inconspicuous masking tape where I will stand in the dark.

Thanks

Murray
 
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